Quotes + Paragraph Structure Flashcards
‘for lower costs and higher prices’
‘hard-headed practical man of business’
‘A man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own.’
(All in Act 1)
Mr Birling is the living embodiment of the capitalist ideology. He demonstrates sycophantic behaviour towards Gerald Croft, who is an aristocrat, as well as mistreating and exploiting his workers in order to maximise profit.
The use of the juxtaposition reveals that he is using Gerald for an upwards social mobility.
Mr Birling as the archetype of a Capitalist “hard-headed practical man of business”
Furthermore, Mr Birling is inconsiderate and completely oblivious of the effects that lowering wages would do to his workers, demonstrating that he prioritises profit over his own staff welfare
This further consolidates the notion that he only cares about his own success because he is an individualist who believes that ‘a man has to mind his own business and look after himself and his own.
Priestley purposely sets his play in 1912, the Edwardian Era, where workers are exploited and being taken advantage of selfishly by the bourgeoisie, in order to horrify his audience who are in post WW2 distinctly leaning towards more socialist ideals as Labour had won the election in a landslide victory. This emphasises the shift in society between post WW2 and the Edwardian Era.
“But these girls aren’t cheap labour - they’re people.”
“Look Sheila, I’m not defending him. But you must understand that a lot of young men…’
It could also be said that Mr Birling is so driven by his Capitalist agenda that he goes as far as to view his own daughter’s marriage as a business opportunity, where his daughter is a commodity that is being sold to Gerald.
Priestley could be suggesting that the capitalist system has dehumanized people, who view the people around them as commodities to maximize their own profit. This may further invite the audience’s dissociation from capitalism.
Arthur Birling attempts to softly corrupt the Inspector by serving an alcoholic drink but the Inspector responds to this by stating,
‘No thank you… I’m on duty.’
This is mirrored later in the play, when Arthur Birling further attempts to bribe the Inspector
‘Look Inspector, I’d give thousands - yes thousands.’
‘You’re offering the money at the wrong time’
Priestley represents socialism in a more favourable manner through Arthur Birling - the antithesis of the inspector - whose despicable portrayal denounces the capitalist ideology which he represents.
Inspector Goole is a moral and righteous force, exempt from temptation and corruption. He defies the typical archetype of policemen at the time who were susceptible to bribery and corruption.
Desperate and audacious attempt to prevent his chances of losing his potential ‘knighthood’ by keeping this secret.
This epitomises the individualistic and egotistical nature of capitalism
This echo emphasises the moral consistency of the Inspector and criticises Mr Birling’s constant immoral actions throughout the play.
‘First, the girl herself… Secondly, I blame the young man who was the father of the child… He should be made an example of.’
‘ No - Eric - please - I didn’t know - I didn’t understand. ‘
There is a notable shift in the attitude of Sybil Birling when she finds out who had really impregnated Eva Smith.
This demonstrates her lack of fixed morality. Her moral values depend on a person’s relation, importance or social class.
‘I wasn’t in love with her or anything - but I liked her - she was pretty and a good sport.’
‘I was in a state where a chap easily turns nasty - and I threatened to make a row.’
As an upper class Edwardian male, Eric abuses his privileges. He treats his injustice to Eva Smith as acceptable, receiving no backlash because it is a norm in the Edwardian Era that men have full control and power over women
Euphemism:
Clearly against Eva’s wishes, yet she feels that she has to stay with him because that is her only route to obtain financial security.
Priestley suggests that Eva’s position is not her own fault, it is instead the fault of upper class people like Eric who have take advantage of her by behaving in a cruel, unacceptable way - in an already vulnerable point in her life.
The Inspector is an omniscient, powerful Christ-like figure.
‘We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.’ (Metaphor)
Priestley alludes to the Book of Genesis as ‘We are members of one body.’ is used in Holy Communion. Therefore, through echoing the words of God, Priestley implies that the Inspector is speaking on God’s behalf.
Priestley may be drawing upon existing Christian concepts of responsibility so that his Christian contemporary audience can relate, increasing the audience’s acceptance of Priestley’s message.
‘The point is you don’t seem to have learnt anything.’
Sheila is more direct and powerful, calling her father out on his lack of empathy and his failure to learn anything from the Inspector’s visit.
While for Mr Birling, the Inspector’s depature means the end of the ordeal and his chances of obtaining a ‘knighthood’ would be saved, for Sheila, it means a new way of looking at life and the people around her.
The power of socialism can transform people and as the Inspector leaves, Sheila becomes a mouthpiece for the Inspector, who also speaks for the people who have no voices as well as the working classes.
‘If men will not learnt that lesson, then they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish’
Before he leaves, the Inspector’s final words create a lasting image of grief and pain.
‘they will be taught it in fire and blood and anguish’ This is an allusion to the world wars
Suggesting war is a consequence of negligence.
This prediction is prophetic, almost biblical in its imagery, lending the statement more weight.
The audience are in 1945, they have witnessed the fire, blood and anguish.
Biblical imagery; connotations of prophecy and omniscience.
Inspector is a messenger of God sent to Earth to enlighten the Birlings of the consequences of their actions, helping them take responsibility for their improper behaviour towards Eva Smith.
Warning: connotations of war, anguish and suffering.
If they are unwilling to take responsibility for one another on Earth, they could be sent to hell to learn their lesson.
Priestley’s underlying message is to stop society from falling again., urging his contemporary audience to take action and reconstruct society to be more responsible then it was in 1912.
Priestley suggests that the world wars caused by the greed and capitalist attitudes of society
‘When you’re married, you’ll realise that men with important work to do sometimes have to spend all their time and energy on their business.’
Clear hierarchical distinction between men and women where men ‘have important work to do’ and women must make themselves busy with something of far less importance.
Mrs Birling has internalised the social norms of the Edwardian period.
It is not simply that men are telling women what to do, but that women in 1912 are complicit in this also.
The patriarchal ideology is so entrenched within society that it is adopted and accepted by Mrs Birling
Sense of resignation, nothing can be done about this; Sheila will just ‘have to get used to that.’
Ideology passed through generations, that as Mrs Birling accepted, so will Sheila.
Priestley intends to break this cycle.
‘I don’t believe I will’ (half playful, half serious)
“Why shouldn’t they try for higher wages? We try for the highest possible prices”
‘Everything is alright now, Sheila. (Holds up the ring) What about this ring?
No not yet. It’s too soon. I must think.’
Although Sheila has learnt her lesson, it is clear that Gerald has not learnt his lesson as when it is revealed that the Inspector is not real, he disregards the whole occurrence as if nothing had actually happened. Gerald is an archetype of male power in this novel.
Alternatively, Priestley could perhaps be hinting at the possibility that in the end, Sheila would marry Gerald because she says ‘It’s too soon. I must think’ and does not reject him entirely. This may be because women who could not vote in 1912, in the Edwardian Era, were powerless to make a difference due to the patriarchal society. As a result, Priestley could be suggesting that Sheila eventually accepts the patriarchal society, and marries Gerald who is a powerful male aristocrat.
Priestley portrays his socialist agenda through the Inspector’s presence and attempts to present his socialist ideology as more favourable to the status quo of capitalism.
For example, in Act 1, Priestley uses a change in lighting to show the change in atmosphere and mood that the Inspector’s arrival brings: ‘The lighting should be pink and intimate until the Inspector arrives, and then it should be brighter and harder.’
The soft and comfortable noun ‘pink’ could perhaps be a reference to the idiom of seeing through rose-tinted glasses which implies that the overly positive image that the audience perceives the Birlings is not a realistic view of their family and ‘light’ has connotations of truth and revelation showing that the Inspector is exposing the mistakes of the Birlings and their abuse of power.
‘the sharp ring of the doorbell’
In addition to this, ‘the sharp ring of the doorbell’ interrupts Arthur Birling’s capitalist speech about his views on social responsibility to Gerald and Eric. Inspector Goole cuts off the assertions of Birling like a ‘sharp ring’, damaging his Edwardian hubris and suggesting that his capitalist notions are nonsense and should no longer be listened to.
Paragraph Structure
A02 - Language, Structure, Form
A03 - Context
A01 - Point, sprinkled with context and show knowledge of plot
Why is An Inspector Calls different from the typical ‘Whodunnit’ genre?
- The Inspector is a vital character in the play who isn’t there to find the main culprit, but instead is there to enlighten the Birlings
- Allowing them to see through the lens of the lower class
- And to make them feel a sense of social responsibility
- As he wants them to realise they had all played a part in the tragic death of Eva Smith
- An Inspector Calls draws upon tropes of the whodunnit genre
- But crucially subverts the genre by replacing one guilty culprit with the entire Birling family
- Whose selfish actions lead to Eva Smith’s death.
